ANGOLA, La. — Two Louisiana State Penitentiary corrections officers were punched in the face and head Tuesday morning when two Angola inmates attacked them while 28 others refused to go to work as they were ordered to do.
According to a news release from the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, 51-year-old Emanuel Williams and 44-year-old Earl Harris broke out of the security line as they were heading to work, refused to obey orders, and attacked the two corrections officers who attempted to restrain the offenders.
Another inmate, 40-year-old Roy Walker, lay down and refused to go to work.
It all began around 8 a.m., as the offenders were lined up and heading to work. Following the lead of the three offenders, 27 other inmates who were also lined up joined the work strike and declined to go to work.
Officers were able to gain control within minutes and escorted the 27 other offenders back to their Main Prison cell block.
Williams broke his ankle during the incident, and two correctional officers received minor injuries after being punched in the face and head.
Williams, Harris, and Walker are in disciplinary segregation following their actions. Harris and Walker are expected to be charged for their crimes. The other 27 inmates returned to work this afternoon.
Emanuel Williams is serving 55 years for a 1991 armed robbery in Orleans Parish, where he was sentenced as a habitual offender. During his 27 years at Angola, he has total of 291 disciplinary reports including defiance, aggravated disobedience, threatening security, and contraband. He has a history of violence, including striking a female officer in the face in June of 2015.
Earl Harris is serving a life sentence without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, for fourth offense aggravated second degree battery out of Jefferson Parish. He has been written up four times since arriving at Angola in December of 2016. Prior to arriving at Louisiana State Penitentiary, he was written up for battery, threatening a deputy, and refusing to obey orders.
Roy Walker is serving 50 years for conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and attempted manslaughter out of Jefferson Parish. He has been written up 54 times since arriving at Angola in 2000.
An investigation is underway.